Continental Shifts: Keat Ong Forges a New Creative Axis in Asia

In the discourse of design, few figures manage to master both the creative and commercial realms with equal authority. For over a quarter-century, Professor Keat Ong has not just built a portfolio of award-winning projects; he has architected the very profession itself. As a creative director, a tireless advocate, and an educator, Ong has become a leading voice in Asia, driven by a philosophy that sees design not as a decorative service, but as a discipline that shapes space, culture, and life.

He is a designer who sees the world through two distinct but intertwined lenses: as a meticulous detective and a boundless explorer. It is through this powerful duality that he has forged a singular design DNA that is deeply Asian, globally relevant, and utterly his own.

The Duality of Creation: Detective and Explorer

Ong’s design philosophy eschews fixed styles and predictable patterns. Instead, he pursues a process that is both investigative and exploratory. As the detective, he delves into the unseen layers of a project: the history of the site, its cultural context, and the unique stories of its inhabitants. This is the search for truth, the diligent work of uncovering facts that ground a project in authenticity. This meticulous approach, he says, is where a designer finds the soul of a place.

For the regional headquarters of a tech firm Ample Solutions, Ong wove together a high-tech aesthetic with cultural roots. The central, octagonal conference room—a nod to auspicious Chinese forms—serves as the office’s core and a visual anchor. Images courtesy of Keat Ong Design.

But the detective’s work is only half the journey. It is the explorer who gives wings to the imagination. With the facts in hand, this side of Ong’s mind embraces the unknown, transforming knowledge into a bold and unexpected vision. The explorer finds joy in pushing boundaries and turning possibilities into a tangible reality. This is the heart of his work, where he crafts concepts that are fresh and unexpected. For Ong, the two forces are not separate; they intertwine, a constant dialogue between the precise logic of the head and the adventurous spirit of the heart.

The 363-sqm Tembusu penthouse, created for a young family and their Be@rbrick art toys collection, showcases Ong’s “Injecting Architecture” methodology. The design features a central “spaceship” display cabinet for the toys, surrounded by curved ceilings that soften the high-tech look. Images courtesy of Keat Ong Design.

This blend of logic and intuition allows him to create spaces that possess a “subliminal continuity” without being repetitive. He admits to a personal affinity for the “old world charms” of steampunk and industrial machinery, but also for high-tech gadgets and visuals. When you put his work under a microscope, you can observe these harmonized elements—a tension between the new and the old that creates a vibrant, unique aesthetic.

He believes that true design is about appreciating beauty across a wider palette, using personal preferences as a guide rather than a rigid rule. His refusal to be a “cookie cutter” designer ensures that even for the same brand, each new store or flagship is an evolution, not a mere copy.

Injecting Architecture: The Three-Dimensional Imperative

After more than two decades in the profession, Ong is challenging the very foundation of interior design. He argues that too many practitioners approach the discipline through a two-dimensional lens, reducing it to the surface-level choices of color, materials, and furniture. For Ong, these are merely the elementary skills of the trade, not its essence.

Frugal innovation transforms the KODECOON coding school into a cluster of distinctive cocoons, symbolizing a child’s metamorphosis. The project maximizes a limited budget through clever, cost-effective solutions like raw plywood teaching pods, industrial cement screed floors, and a “cheese” treatment for the ceilings. Images courtesy of Keat Ong Design.

“True interior design is not decoration,” he states with conviction. “It is the art and discipline of shaping space itself.”

This philosophy is the core of his book, Injecting Architecture, which distills his methodology into a practical framework. He teaches that designers must step into the three-dimensional realm, where interiors are dynamic compositions of volumes, planes, time, and relationships. To make this accessible, he has codified his approach into six core methodologies: Compressed, Fragmentation, Complementary, Intrusion, Sculpture, and Division. Each offers a way to reimagine space, transforming it from a static enclosure into a living architectural experience.

This powerful approach was born from his foundational training. His architectural education taught him to see beyond the surface, to understand that even a simple line carries infinite possibilities. This discipline shaped his view that every space is a dialogue between form and meaning, function and soul. It is through this lens that he sees every design not just as a solution but as a narrative layered with purpose.

This commitment to a narrative-driven process began in his early career. After working at prominent Singapore architectural firms like Look Architects and aKTa-rchitects, he founded Nota Design at the age of 28. His initial projects were humble residential and retail spaces, but he approached them with the same rigor and passion he had learned on larger architectural commissions.

For him, there was no such thing as a “small” project—each was an opportunity to experiment, refine his craft, and learn the invaluable lessons of project management and on-site coordination. It was in these humble beginnings that he learned one of his career’s most important truths: that passion transforms scale, and that detail shapes vision. This is a lesson that still guides him today.

The Business of Design: Sincerity and Strategy

“Design work and design business are two different monsters altogether,” Ong asserts. In a market as complex and competitive as China, he has navigated this tension with a unique blend of creativity and commercial acumen. He credits his success to a belief in reciprocal actions and sincerity. When someone offers a hand, he believes it is essential to return the gesture, building a structure of trust through an ongoing exchange. His actions, he says, are not just transactional; they are genuine, a long-term commitment that proves the relationship is valued beyond mere profit.

Fusing tradition with modernity, the MOSO+ Cultural Centre in Lugu Lake, China, reinterprets the unique culture of the Mosuo people. The project, located at 2600m above sea level, transforms three ancestral homes into a cultural hub, blending a contemporary museum with commercial spaces. Images courtesy of Keat Ong Design.

This philosophy helped him navigate China’s demanding market, where he was fortunate to enter at a time of immense opportunity. Rather than relying on a “go-by-the-book western mentality,” he adapted to the local business culture, understanding that dinner is not just a meal but a chance to build trust, and that relationships, or guanxi, are as important as the design itself.

He has a pragmatic, two-track approach to balancing vision and reality. He consciously “switches lenses” between creative ideation and commercial evaluation. He always develops a “visionary” scheme alongside a “business-sensitive” one, giving clients confidence that their commercial needs are respected. When budgets are tight, he knows that compromise is necessary, but he insists on protecting the conceptual DNA of the project.

Using storytelling as a shield, he crafts a narrative rooted in culture or innovation that convinces clients to protect certain creative gestures, even if they cost more. For Ong, the tension between business and design is not a problem to be solved but a dynamic condition to be embraced.

Leadership Through Standards and Vision

Ong’s influence extends far beyond his own firm. As a leader, he has dedicated himself to building a more credible and respected design profession across Asia. As the former President of the Society of Interior Designers Singapore (SIDS), he was instrumental in establishing the Singapore Interior Design Accreditation Council (SIDAC). He was driven by a powerful belief that a profession can only earn true recognition when it is built on clear standards that safeguard its scope and the proficiency of its practitioners. The lasting legacy of SIDAC, he says, is not only in raising the bar for qualified designers but also in setting higher benchmarks for national tenders, ensuring that excellence and integrity become the foundation of the industry.

Drawing inspiration from the human brain, this Singapore campus for Shanghai Jiao Tong University is designed as a “cocoon” that fosters learning. The interior features a core of teaching spaces surrounded by a perimeter of public zones, each aligned with one of the five senses to create a holistic, immersive learning environment. Images courtesy of Keat Ong Design.

Now, as the current President of the Asia Pacific Space Designers Association (APSDA), he is scaling this vision for the entire region. He sees his responsibilities as extending beyond clients to serving society and the planet. His goals include promoting sustainable and regenerative design and celebrating Asian identity through initiatives like the CARA showcase. He is also preparing the profession for the future by guiding schools and practitioners to adapt to major disruptions like Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality. He believes that Asian design has long been underrated, and through the APSDA Awards, he is on a mission to discover and promote the region’s “hidden gems” and raise its collective voice on the global stage.

Mentorship and the Future of Design

Ong’s roles as an adjunct professor and an awards judge are not just separate commitments; they are extensions of his core practice..He finds that teaching helps keep him on top of his game, and the interactions with students have even helped him solve complex design puzzles.The adrenaline of a masterclass or a student’s unexpected question can sometimes lead to a breakthrough on a project.

He imparts to the next generation a philosophy that goes beyond technical skills. He emphasizes critical thinking, respect for context, and the courage to be curious. He believes that designers must recognize their responsibility to shape communities and environments. When judging design awards, he looks for projects that possess originality with purpose, clarity of concept, and contextual relevance. He values craftsmanship and lasting value, believing that great design is not about showing how clever you are, but about creating something that others can live, work, and dream better with.

Ultimately, Ong’s success in balancing a nomadic work style with demanding responsibilities is a testament to his philosophy of distributed leadership. He believes that energy must be renewable, and that building a team is not just about delegation but about cultivating individuals who embrace a shared vision. When his team feels trusted and empowered, they don’t just hold the fort—they thrive, ensuring that the practice remains purposeful, creative, and sustainable. For Keat Ong, the future of design in Asia is not just about trends; it’s about building a profession that is authentic, responsible, and ready to lead.

Read more: Manila Interior Design Summit 2025: Breaking Boundaries and the Future of Design

Photographer: Jar Concengco

Sittings Editor: Geewel Fuster

Managing Editor: Chad Rialp

Shoot Coordinator: Mae Talaid

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